Where did this one come from. I'd never heard of it's director, Swede Roy Andersson before. According to Wikipedia he's been described in the Village Voice as a "slapstick Ingmar Bergman".
I love coming out of the cinema and talking to people about the movie, especially people I don't know (nine times out of twenty I go to see films on my own, it's just easier). Just starting up a conversation, it's probably the one occasion when people may be more inclined to converse. Yesterday, for example, after watching Horton Hears a Who (2008), I asked what I will assume to be the parent if her child enjoyed the film. This was only because on the way in I heard her explaining the cinematic experience to him (which in itself was quite the treat). It was his first film! As it turned out he did enjoy it and I hope he has many more experiences like it. I told her to keep the cinema stub. I wish I had my first.
Today though I got chatting to a women who started talking about Andersson's first movie that she saw some 6 years ago, Songs from the Second Floor (2000). Well, I knew nothing of that then and I know very little more after watching this, his fourth feature. I'll stick the other three on the rent list.
The most out-there/original comedy I have seen since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). Let's be clear about this though, there are no more comparisons to be made here. Whilst Gondry's vision is very bright and fluid and fast paced, Andersson is quite happy to let the audience take its time and enjoy every single bleached shot for as long as we want. There is no hurry in this movie. I won't draw upon any specific scenes as this would undoubtedly spoil and detract from the experience as a whole. There are some shots/scenes though where absolute confidence has shone through. A lesser director would not have been able to stay committed to a specific scene in fear of losing the audience's attention. It's no wonder it was Sweden's Official Submission to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of the 80th Annual Academy Awards.
The incredible last image invokes serious comparisons to Dr. Strangelove. Kubrick's thoughts on cold war mentality was that it was so absurd he didn't know how he could proceed to make a film without making it a comedy. Here, life portrayed is once again so dismal that you can't help but laugh at it. I have never seen such a depressed bunch of individuals since...well the tube this morning but you know what I mean.
On walking in to the theatre I saw the poster referencing a quote from some critic about it being a mix of something and Monty Python. The film is basically sketch based and whilst there are similar traits in all they rarely follow any kind of narrative. Does this matter? Not really. The Band's Visit (2007) made me snigger a lot of the time but the opening 30 minutes of this film are filled with more laugh-out loud moments then reading Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, do you remember the skunk?
The humour does die off a bit and we are really allowed to get to know a few of the characters to some depth before the film finishes with yet another bout of comedy. It's an absolute gem, a film that I want everybody I know to see so that I can continue the conversation I started with the women outside the cinema. It probably isn't going to happen, it's only on limited release in London, nevermind north of the M25. If you can though check it out for sure at Brixton throughout next week.
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